Blog #4

The beginning of this section in reading Coates explains an experience he has with the police. He was driving and was pulled over for no reason that he could tell. The police in this county were known to be brutal. Coates explained how he just sat there at the will of these police officers. He sat there afraid because he was helpless. There was obviously no other reason that he was pulled over besides his skin color.

I can't imagine having that be the case for me. I have been pulled over a couple times (no ticket yet ;)), but all for reasons that I could understand. I understood why and deserved it. My break light was out, and I was going a couple miles to many over the speed limit. I was not pulled over because my eyes were blue or because I had blonde hair or because my skin color was white.

Coming to college one of my favorite things was getting a fresh start. Nobody knew my past, and everyone could create their own image and opinion about me. What if I came to college and was treated so poorly because I reminded everybody of another white blonde girl that they hated? Nothing I did made that opinion of me only the fact that I reminded them of that one girl. That is often times the way people of color feel. I will never fully understand what that is like, but imagining that makes my heart ache for them.

Blog #3

Throughout this whole book there has been an overarching theme for Coates on what it truly means to wear the color black on your skin. I saw this theme especially in this part of his story. There was one quote that stuck out to me the most within this section. Coates writes, "perhaps being named 'black' was just someone's name for being at the bottom..." The fact he feels this way or anybody feels this way about their skin color makes me so sad. It is hard for me to empathize with these people because I have never had any other color of skin besides white. 

Why did God give me the opportunities I have over someone else? Why was the way I lived my normal? I tend to ask those question a lot as I read through this book. Toward the middle of this book Coates also starts asking those questions of, "why me?" It is easy for me as a Christian to simply say, "It's all part of God's plan." I've had it easy. As I start to hear more and more and understand what it might be like to live their lives, I don't blame them for being angry. If I was them, I can't imagine wanting to hear that God put me where he did on purpose. 

Coates writes to his son and tells it like it is. He is aware and doesn't try to sugar coat how his life will look differently. It makes me sick to think that he has to tell his son, "There is no promise that is unbreakable." Coates explains to his son that the law and people will try to persuade him otherwise, but because his skin color isn't be white, things will be different.